Bellevue Hospital E.R. Reopens to Patients with Non-Critical Injuries

Bellevue Hospital was evacuated in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and is working its way back to full functionality.
View Full Caption

DNAinfo/Jeff Mays

KIPS BAY — Bellevue Hospital's emergency room has reopened its doors to patients with non-critical and non-traumatic injuries, but still won't be fully functional until Februrary, officials said Thursday.

A New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation spokesman said that Bellevue has been accepting ambulances since Dec. 24, but still is not accepting patients suffering from life-threatening injuries like gunshot wounds, traumatic car accidents, heart attacks, pregnant women beyond their first trimester, and anyone who needs surgery.

"Bellevue plays a vital role in the community and we’re very pleased to be able to offer limited emergency department services there again,” Alan D. Aviles, president of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), said in a statement. “Tremendous credit is owed to the dedicated staff and physicians who have worked around the clock since Sandy to bring the facility back into service."

The hospital also added new services to the outpatient clinic it has been operating since November 19, officials noted.

DNAinfo.com is New York's leading hyper-local news source, covering New York City's neighborhoods. We deliver up-to-the-minute reports on entertainment, education, politics, crime, sports, and dining. Our award-winning journalists find the stories - big or small - that matter most to New Yorkers.